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News Files
'NEWS THEME' THEME It is a world on the cusp of something new. The past decade has seen the emergence of heroes in the public spotlight. While some are sanctioned and respected, others fight their own, private wars in the shadows. There is a volatile relationship between the general public and the mutant minority that has been smoldering since the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Light and dark, bright and gritty, heroes and villains run the gamut on Hero MUX. Hero MUX is a comic book-themed role-playing game based on the worlds and characters of DC and Marvel comics. At Hero MUX we have chosen recreate the complex nature of comics, and society at large, through the exploration of this mix of characters--as well as original, player- created heroes and villains, and the case-by-case inclusion of characters from other comic companies. In lieu of a "cut-off" point, Hero MUX has created its own timeline of major In-Character events, to allow for maximum player creativity and flexibility. Staff has designated members devoted to crafting and running plots, approving and revising applications, and player relations. Players are welcomed and encouraged to run plots of their own as well. A simple Character Generation system is in place, utilizing brief explanations and benchmark statistics to give players an idea of power levels. Our code commands and city grids are intended to make finding RP easier, rather than bog players down. The goal of Hero MUX is to foster a positive role-play environment with a focus on creativity. What sets our game apart is our joy of creating stories with, and for, our players--and ensuring a fun experience for all. Let's be honest: we've been here before. The superhero MUX genre has gone through many twists, turns, and gimmicks. We are not pretending to have a brand new idea. Here's what we are: a group of veteran MU* players making a concerted effort to create a game that embodies what we love about playing these games. Our theme is simple. Our chargen is simple. Our ideas and our plots are not. To see the timeline of our game's history, please read on. Continued in: NEWS HISTORY See Also: NEWS APP, NEWS CHARACTERS Top SETTING It is a confusing time for the United States and the broader world. The introduction of heroes over the last decade has helped to renew society's spirit and belief in a world greater than the present time. Many look forward to a bright future of truth, justice, harmony, and economic prosperity for the entire Earth. In the international community, America has once again begun to be respected as a leader that stands for peace and equality. Simultaneously, there is cause for concern. Steep inflation in foreign markets and a difficulty with national debt payments worries investors and the international business community, while America is also apprehensive about a crumbling manufacturing industry and a slowly rising unemployment rate. Though petty crime has been stemmed in many American cities, a new brand of villain has risen the ante on terror. Moreover, a pervasive paranoia of both the government and corporate America has continued to escalate. As always, the threat of conflict between mutants and humans always bubbles just below the surface. Though any type of scene is encouraged in any city, the three cities of the MUX "generally" take on the characteristics of the cities they take place in. Metropolis, Delaware, is generally a forward thinking city which is optimistic about the present and future. Guarded by the hero known as Superman, Metropolitans stereotypically are bullish about American enterprise and its place in the world. As a whole there is less poverty, less crime, and less fear and paranoia. Gotham, New Jersey, sits across the bay to the north east from Metropolis, but might as well be a world away. The unemployment rate is the worst in the nation and rising. Falling housing prices have led to a budget shortfall, leading to layoffs of police, fire, and inner city teachers. Suspicion is rampant and murmurs of corruption have been a mainstay for generations. Pessimists point to Gotham as a likely future for American cities unless drastic changes are met. While Metropolis and Gotham sit on each end of the spectrum, New York City in many ways represents a reality. It is, at the same time, economically prosperous but not without its problems. Superheroes have made the city safer, but crime is still a factor in certain parts of the city. The Big Apple sits on the same precipice as much of America. See Also: NEWS METROPOLIS, NEWS GOTHAM, NEWS NYC, NEWS POLITICS Top METROPOLIS Metropolis, Delaware is world class city on par with New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, and Kuala Lumpur. It has a staggering 7 million people, making it the second largest city in the United States behind New York. The metropolitan area carries many more. Geographically, the Big Apricot is made out of 6 boroughs: New Troy, Park Ridge, Bakerline, St. Martin's Island, Hell's Gate, and Queensland Park. Half of the boroughs are islands: New Troy is bordered by Hobbs River to the north and the West River to the west and south. St. Martin's Island and Hell's Gate are islands in the Delaware Bay, which borders Metropolis to the East. Frank Berkowitz is the mayor of Metropolis and has been for the last 12 years. He's currently beginning his fourth term and has overseen the largest economic expansion in Metropolis history. The budget currently operates at a 12 percent surplus which is then doled out to new projects the city council desires to better the city. The streets are the cleanest in America. The schools, even in Suicide Slum, are the best public schools in the nation. Income for workers is extremely high, while cost of living is relatively low among the cities along the Eastern seaboard. Metropolis is routinely the winner of "Best Place in America to Live" because of its family friendly neighborhoods, decent weather, and its educational and economic opportunities. See Also: NEWS SETTING Top GOTHAM Gotham City was founded by Norwegian mercenary forces during the exploration of the new world, before being taken over by the British before the Civil War. Today there are many who think that Gotham has seen its better days. Some historians have stated that the Great Depression was the beginning of Gotham's intense troubles, while others would point to the rusting of Gotham's all important manufacturing base. For many years, Gotham was the third largest city in America. After the Great Depression, however, may residents moved westward in an attempt to find work. While most cities rebounded, Gotham never really did. Now, it ranks 5th, with just over 2 million people. Gotham has major issues with budget shortfalls. These are mostly due to falling housing prices and unemployment, but there have also been poor infrastructure decisions and waste on behalf of the government. Pensions for police, fire, and government workers is currently under threat. Petty crime has fallen, allegedly due to a mysterious vigilante who prowls the streets. Some say he's a monster, others say he drinks blood. Rumors are he dresses as a bat. Organized crime, however, continues to run rampant and fears of government corruption are always either feared or, worse, presumed. The Tomorrow Party's Wilson Klass is the first term mayor of Gotham City; the first TP mayor in Gotham in 60 years. Promises of economic expansion have proven difficult to come by. Klass has also had difficulties getting his agenda through due to two scandals that have erupted in his short time in office. In his first month, a cell phone caught GCPD forces using excessive force to detain a high school aged student. Also, evidence was released by the Gotham Gazette showing Klass had been involved in an extra-marital affair for the past 3 years. See Also: NEWS SETTING Top NYC New York City has long held the torch as the World's Most Important City. A center for business, culture, and tourism, New York is respected in America and throughout the world. New York carries almost 9 million people, more than twice as much as the third largest city, Los Angeles. Many more live in the surrounding areas and Long Island. The Big Apple is made up of five boroughs: Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. Since the appearance of superheroes such as Iron Man, Captain America, and Spider-Man, crime has dipped way down in New York. There is still a long way to go, however, and there are still pockets of the city with a high crime rate. The economy is doing decently, but struggling at the same rate as the national one. The city has had difficulty making their budget each year in the last half decade and has had to slash spending by 23 percent. Eight years ago, Mark Gruenwald won a history mayoral election when he became the first Independent to win New York's mayoral office in the previous 68 years. Gruenwald refuses to take a public salary due to his previously made wealth through the financial industry. He is generally well liked by the people and has won three terms easily, but his years in office have not always been smooth. In the middle of his first term he was accused of being misogynistic towards female governmental employees over the issue of maternity rights and charges were also filed against Gruenwald for an unclear harassment case which was dropped and settled out of court. Gruenwald has focused on reforming public education and combating poverty, raising funding on both fronts by 150 percent since winning office. Aside from these two issues, he is generally thought to be fiscally conservative and socially liberal. See Also: NEWS SETTING Top POLITICS National Climate President Washington "Wash" Abbott is in the final stretch of his second term as the President of the United States. Hailing from Virginia, Abbott ran as a moderate under the Progress Party ticket in 2008 winning by a 52 to 48 margin versus the sitting President. His first term was plagued early by dissent from a starkly divided House and Senate. As the term continued, President Abbott was able to make gains in across the board tax cuts, while increasing funding towards training programs for the poor and unemployed and educational spending, especially for inner-city students. Abbott also pushed reforms to repair the nation's infrastructure which was welcomed, even by his Tomorrow Party adversaries. In 2008, Abbott was running a difficult race versus Senator Herb Strutt (TX - Tomorrow Party) and had even slipped to a five point deficit at the beginning of August. The race changed dramatically after Abbot's plane nearly crashed above the Atlantic, but was inexplicably saved by a superhero later dubbed Superman by the press. Abbott's numbers rebounded and he eventually won a second term by a comfortable 58 to 42 margin. Abbott's second term has been a mixture of highs and lows. Though most of the superheroes do not take political sides, the effect they have had on crime has been a boon to Abbott's approval ratings. Despite rising unemployment, the economy continues to grow and Abbott has expanded training and re-education programs in an attempt to prepare the workforce for the next decade. Controversially, he was also able to pass a one-time student loan "bail out" that narrowly passed congress. Increased spending has put a strain on the budget and the national debt has increased greatly under Abbott's second term. As the lame duck President comes to a close this year, it is unclear what his legacy will be. Two challengers have emerged from the primaries to become the next President of the United States. The Tomorrow Party has nominated Carolyn Rice of California. For the last decade she has served as Chief Executive Officer of Randow Telecommunication Corporation. She has been hailed as a visionary in the technological world and an uncompromising business woman. She won nomination easily and swept the primaries over four, mostly forgettable contenders. After a contentious battle the Progressive Party has selected Ohio governor Luke Reed over Vice President Walter Harrison in a surprising twist. Reed is a single term governor who has focused mostly on reforming the state government. Within months of his election, Reed's investigators uncovered widespread corruption in Columbus. He is a strong orator and national polling suggests America trusts him a great deal. See Also: NEWS SETTING Top HISTORY 1950s Rumors about mutants among the populace are widely discarded as the vivid imagination of a public obsessed with horror films. By the end of the decade there is no denying that there are mutants, they live among us, and they are increasing in number. The public reacts negatively to these outcasts and numerous reports of beatings and several confirmed murders, especially in the Southern United States, fill the papers. 1960s and 1970s The civil rights movement has a profound effect on the way different sorts of societal minorities are treated in America. Mutant Rights become part of the overarching movement in response to the chaotic and violent 1950s. 1980s and 1990s As the Cold War rages between the United States and the Soviet Union, the American government discovers, recruits, and trains a secret group of heroes through a mission called "Operation: Justified Secret Alliance." The close knit group works throughout the decade to help defeat the communists, though their identities as heroes are never revealed. The group adapts the name, calling themselves the Justice Society of America. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the JSA is thanked and disbanded by the President, who explains that the need for these heroes has dissipated and acknowledgement of their existence would cause fear across the globe. The members of the Justice Society reluctantly agree and retire with pensions and non-avowed Medals of Honor. The mutant population continues to increase all over the world. Though the majority of Americans have a tenuous political relationship with the mutant race, the situation abroad is far worse. Mass graves litter Africa, Asia, and parts of Eastern Europe. Even among America's allies, anti-mutant sentiment is at a fever pitch with the minority group being scapegoated for every societal ill imaginable from the economy to the degradation of the family. 2000 Outraged at how mutants are being treated across the globe, Charles Xavier creates the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. It is one part charter school for "gifted students" and one part training ground for a paramilitary group designed to force the hand of peace on behalf of the mutant race. Two youthful tycoons join Lex Luthor at the forefront of American Industry. Tony Stark assumes leadership of Stark Enterprises, while Bruce Wayne returns from a youthful jaunt across the globe. 2002 In Gotham City, rumors of a mysterious Bat-creature begin to filter, first through the criminal elements, then among the police themselves. Soon, there are more rumors that the creature has spawned allies who work at its behest. Petty crime in the city takes a marked depreciation for the first time since the 1940s. 2008 A mysterious hero prevents Air Force One from crashing in a nearly catastrophic event. Lois Lane, reporter for Metropolis' Daily Planet, dubs the hero "Superman." Though he keeps the public at arms length at first, the hero is adopted by both Metropolis (where he hails from) and the United States as a whole. 2009 After Superman's arrival, more and more heroes begin to emerge. Likewise, villains also begin to come out of the woodwork. Superman begins to work hand in hand with the American government, solving large issues and helping with disasters. New York tabloids fill with reports of a Spider-Man as New York's answer to Metropolis' Man of Steel. 2011 The government toys with the idea of re-animating the 1940s super soldier known as Captain America, who they retrieved encased in ice during the 1980s. 2012 After it becomes clear that Superman alone cannot keep America safe, the President orders the Man of Steel to search out like-minded, patriotic individuals for membership in a League to help keep Americans and peace loving people throughout the world safe. Top RETCONS The issue of retconning is a difficult one because there are two equally compelling but opposite viewpoints. Characters often want to retcon (or wipe out) old actions of their characters made by previous characters to give themselves a clean slate. It's always a tough place for a player to be when they have to jump into a character without the benefit of the back story. Logs help, and it is encouraged that you read old logs of your characters, but even then the tone and feel are nuances that are only picked up over time. On the opposite end you have all those people that previous players RPed with who don't want all those hours of character development to have gone by the wayside. People care about the movement of their characters and put a lot of work into them, so obviously they should have some say as well. As a compromise, we have decided that relationship-based RP (romantic, friendship, acquaintance) can be retconned, but character landmarks need to be preserved. Is it a perfect system? No. But it doesn't seem that there is one. Instead, it seems like the best compromise between two valid viewpoints. Retcons may also be possible under special circumstances. For example, if all parties involved in a scene agree that it should be retconned and a log has not yet been posted, then the retcon may be done automatically. Else, an appeal to staff may always be made. If there are particularly pressing circumstances, we will consider making special arrangements. Please note, though, that we prefer not to do this very often. Top CHARACTERS The following rules apply to how many characters (or "alts") a player may control on the game.* Each player starts with access to up to 3 characters. * Players may only control one team leader character.* Characters who are considered idle for 30 days or more may be deleted or repossessed by staff.* Characters may be broken down into four categories, noted below. Iconic Feature Characters are characters who define the genre by their very existence. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Charles Xavier, Ms. Marvel, and Captain America are all good examples.* Each player may only control one Iconic Feature Character.* Iconic FCs must submit two activity logs per month. Feature Characters are noteworthy characters who have appeared in comics or other published media.* Each player may only control three Major FCs; if the player controls an Iconic FC, the player may only control two other Major FCs* Major FCs must submit one activity log per month. Support Feature Characters are FCs who are neither heroes nor villains: Alfred Pennyworth, Edwin Jarvis, J. Jonah Jameson, Lois Lane, etc.* When apped, support characters are treated as regular FCs.* Support characters who are open for app may be run as NPCs. Original Characters are characters created by individual players who have not appeared in any published media.* There is no special limit on how many OCs a player may control apart from the total number of alts allowed on the game.* OCs are not required to submit activity logs, but they are expected to remain generally active and contribute to the game via role*play. On Hero MUX, most of our characters are based on their comic counterparts from Marvel or DC comics. Characters should stick reasonably close to the tone and flavor of the character while producing an application. Characters such as those from Milestone or Image comics will need staff approval before hand to ensure that they fit within the theme and scope of the game. In short, if you're going to app Nite Owl from the Watchmen, you'll want to be sure to discuss it with staff first. Characters that occur outside the normal Marvel or DC Universe may be accepted on a case by case basis and only if their backgrounds are altered to fit seamlessly within theme. A character such as Snake Eyes from G.I. Joe or Donatello from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles would need staff approval before the process begins. Other comic characters whose theme is clearly outside the bounds of normal comics, such as Star Trek and Star Wars will not be approved. Banned source material: these may not be apped. * "Outer space" science fiction or space opera (Star Trek, Star Wars)* Most anime, cartoons, or manga (Simpsons, Death Note, etc.) Banned characters/concepts: these may not be apped. * Cosmic scale characters who are not primarily based out of Earth may not be apped, but they may possibly be used in plots. This includes Oans, Galactus, The Endless, Watchers, Celestials, characters from New Genesis or Apokalips, etc.* OCs who are members of conceptually exclusive groups will not be approved: Green Lanterns, Kryptonians, etc.* OCs who appear to be designed as overt knock-offs, parodies, or pastiches of extant Feature Characters Restricted sources/concepts: these may be apped under scrutiny. * OC Aliens (either OC alien races or FC races if not otherwise banned)* Extremely powerful characters, especially OCs, who might have a heavy impact to the game's balance of power* FCs whose powers explicitly violate or clash with existing game rules or policy may require extensive modification (Black Alice for reasons of consent, Stacy X for reasons of TS-related powers, etc.) Continued in: NEWS RETCONS See Also: NEWS RACE, NEWS ROLE, NEWS APP, NEWS STATS, NEWS ACTIVITY Top TONE Role-play on the game can be categorized via several different "tones," each with different purposes. Each major public scene should declare an intended tone at the beginning so players know what they may expect. *Classic: Classic RP harkens back to more innocent times, embodying a tone that resonates with Silver Age or "four color" comics. Angst and dark events do not belong here, the good guys usually win in the end, and nothing terrible happens that lasts very long. *Heroic: Heroic RP seeks to emulate a more modern, post-Bronze-Age tone. The lines may be blurred at times, but you still know who the heroes and villains are. The bad guys may gain the upper hand, and sacrifices may be made, but good tends to triumph eventually. *Gritty: Gritty RP seeks to take a much more realistic tone. Some heroes and villains may be black and white, but there are many shades of gray, and the real test of the hero is not whether she wins but whether she keeps fighting, even if hated or driven by revenge. *Angsty: Angsty RP explores the darker side of emotional RP and strikes a dark tone, often grappling with heavy, negative feelings, and it may heavily focus on the characters' need to deal with emotional pain and suffering. Its primary purpose is character development. *Romantic: Romantic RP focuses on the feelings of characters without going quite so dark as Angsty RP. Emotions are treated as having more meaning, and the story is strongly impacted by them. This does not necessarily mean "love" or "relationship" role-play. *Comedic: Sometimes, fun is all you need! Comedic RP sets a tone that is designed to be light and enjoyable, probably even funny, and it is probably just as light as Classic RP but it takes itself far less seriously. It may bend the "fourth wall" for the lulz. Top DANGER Any planned event can have a particular threat level associated with it. Note that this does not mean that anyone is necessarily excluded from an event that is "too dangerous," but it does mean that characters who enter a very dangerous scene and try to leap into the epicenter of the action might reasonably need to role-play walking away with injuries, potentially even being hospitalized. Such characters might still join in the scene, but they might be wiser to choose other roles besides directly confronting the central threat. If a scene is well below your character's power level, then it might be best not to join it as that alt to avoid overshadowing others -- but, when in doubt, you can always contact the emitter and work something out. Event danger levels: *Minimal: Everyone should walk away from this fine. Even without major combat skills or weapons, any character could take center stage without any great risk to his or her person. *Low: To face the central treat in this type of scene, characters should have strong combat skills or at least minor powers or weaponry. Expect some minor injuries if your character does not have such abilities. *Medium: To face the central threat in this type of scene, characters should have some notable powers or weaponry at their disposal. Expect serious injuries if your character does not have such abilities. *High: To face the central threat in this type of scene, characters should have fairly high-level powers or weaponry at their disposal. Expect critical injuries if your character does not have such abilities. *Epic: To face the central threat in this type of scene, characters should have top-tier powers or weaponry at their disposal. Even those with the greatest powers will probably not walk away unscathed. Top 'NEWS APPLICATION' APP We have designed the character application process to be simple and straight- forward. There are two stages to approval; first is the actual application, and second is the write-up. The write-up consists of setting the items noted in NEWS STATS as well as a basic character background. Together, these make up the write-up. When a character is first created, both the write-up and application will be reviewed for approval. Yet, once a character's write-up is approved, it never has to be revised or reviewed again unless by special request or if staff determines revision is in order. A Feature Character's traits, once approved, will be treated as part of the MUX as per our fair use policy (See: NEWS FAIR USE). All subsequent applicants will only have to complete the character application portion of chargen. The character application consists of five questions, each of which is to be answered in written paragraph form and submitted to staff for review. If the application displays sufficient knowledge and understanding of the character being requested, then approval may be granted. However, in the case of an Iconic Feature Character, the process is somewhat different. Once anyone requests the password of a previously created Iconic FC, the character is placed open for application to all comers for a period of 48 hours. If any additional requests are made during that time, the additional players are granted up to one week to submit their own applications as well. Then, at the end of that time, staff selects the best application for approval and that player is granted access to the character object to enter play. If, in the case of such a contested app, staff deems it necessary, "test scenes" may be run to give the applicants the opportunity to demonstrate how they would play the character if granted approval. All character generation code and commands may be found in the chargen rooms off the nexus of game's OOC area. The character application questions are as follows: # Describe the character's identity. Who is this character? How does his/her history affect that identity? What are the character's most key, prominent personality traits? Even if various elements of this character were changed, what is absolutely essential to its core? # How does the character fit into the world of the game? This is very important for Feature Characters in particular; demonstrate how the character fits in the world of the game rather than only in the world of its original creation and publication. # What plans do you have for the character, whether from an In Character or Out Of Character perspective? What sort of role-play do you hope for or expect to find? We do not necessarily expect a highly detailed plan, but give us an idea of what direction you want to take. # How do you intend to deviate from published canon in your portrayal of this character? Apart from fitting into the world of the game, what are you planning to do to make this character your own? Even if you plan to be very similar to canon, try to be creative with your answer. # Please provide a substantive (but not screen-scrolling or buffer- breaking) sample pose such as you might use in actual role-play. Be sure that your intended tone (See: NEWS TONE) is clearly indicated, and do your best to portray that tone with your pose. Top RACES * Humans are ordinary Earth people, lacking special powers except as granted by specialized training, technology, artifacts, and so on. * Aliens are any characters who are themselves from other planets or whose DNA comes primarily from some extraterrestrial source. * Metahumans carry the "Metagene," an ancient genetic marker of unknown origin. It grants powers and is often passed from parent to child. In some cases, the metagene must be activated by an outside catalyst. * Mutants are a spike in human evolution. The "X-Gene" grants powers and may either be passed parent-to-child or arise as a spontaneous mutation. Its unpredictable nature has led many to fear the rise of mutants. * Mutates are similar to mutants, except they usually do carry no "X-Gene." Their genetic changes are triggered by external catalyst some time after they are born, often from exposure to radiation of some sort. * Clones are characters created via genetic engineering, usually with their DNA copied from an original source, even if it has been modified. * Constructs include androids, robots, golems, and any other artificially created life forms. They may be sentient, but they are not "born." * Immortals are exceptionally long-lived, such as demigods or the like. They may have once been human, but they are more than human now. * Other: Any character who does not fit into any of these categories can instead simply identify as "other" for application purposes. Top ROLES * Hero: You uphold (and usually obey) the law, and are generally honorable and civil to others -- you are not perfect, but you try to do what is right. If you break the law, it's when you have little other choice, such as to protect someone in direct danger. * Anti-Hero: Your motivations are basically good, but you have your own brand of justice and willingly ignore the law to one degree or another. You work for what you see as the greater good, but you are more comfortable with shades of gray rather than simply buying into "right vs. wrong." * Neutral: You are your own person, and you live by your own rules and motives. Whether you uphold the law or not, you might play both sides, but you're really not on anyone's side but your own -- whether you save others or victimize them -- though you probably don't do harm without a reason. * Villain: You take what you can get, and woe to he who steps in your way. Morality is no issue, and others are probably expendable to some degree. Regardless of whether you lead or follow or believe you're acting for the greater good or not, you will hurt others to meet your goals. * Mentor: You may have been a hero or anti-hero in the past, but these days you keep a lower profile or enjoy semi-retirement. You usually avoid direct conflicts and spend most of your energy training or advising others -- but you may well be willing and able to throw down when needed. * Civilian: You follow the law for the most part, but if you occasionally break it, you're generally neutral in the major conflicts of the world. You're no hero, villain, nor officer of the law, and while you may end up in the thick of trouble, you don't tend to be the one to start it. Character roles are tracked for mostly statistical purposes, and they are not a hard and fast rule for how your character must behave. Top STATS Character stats are broken down into four categories. These are Attributes, Abilities, Advantages, and Flaws. This file and the related files detail how those are to be enumerated and explained. * Attributes: These are Agility, Strength, Toughness, Perception, Intellect, and Willpower. Specific attribute information can be found in NEWS ATTRIBUTES, including what each attribute is used for and the scale on which they are rated. * Abilities: Abilities comprise a character's powers, combat abilities, and any items (such as artifacts or technology) that effectively grant the character special powers. Reference NEWS ABILITIES for an explanation for how abilities work on the game. * Advantages: Advantages represent unusual resources or specialized training. These might be great wealth, contacts, or they might represent "skilled" use of attributes in a specific area, such as medicine or investigation. Reference NEWS ADVANTAGES for more information. * Flaws: Flaws are generally what one might expect; they are drawbacks and weaknesses that significantly impact a character's effectiveness. Notably, these should not be power limitations nor "flavor" material; reference NEWS FLAWS for further explanation. See Also: NEWS ATTRIBUTES, NEWS ABILITIES, NEWS ADVANTAGES, NEWS FLAWS, NEWS AGILITY, NEWS STRENGTH, NEWS TOUGHNESS, NEWS ENDURANCE, NEWS PERCEPTION, NEWS INTELLECT, NEWS WILLPOWER, NEWS COMBAT, NEWS ARSENAL, NEWS SPEED, NEWS HEALING, NEWS HEAT, NEWS ELECTRICITY, NEWS SOUND, NEWS DISTANCE, NEWS PUSH Top ATTRIBUTES Attributes represent the character's most basic abilities. These include the following traits, including both physical and mental/spiritual. The character's attributes are treated primarily as standalone traits, though some abilities may act in place of attributes (such as super speed being used instead of agility), and some advantages enhance a given attribute by treating it as a "skilled" use (such as an "engineering" advantage enhancing Intellect for the design or repair of advanced technology or "investigation" enhancing Perception when surveying a crime scene). * Agility measures the character's speed and dexterity. * Strength measures the character's raw physical might. * Toughness measures the character's physical resilience. * Perception measures the character's awareness and observation. * Intellect measures the character's intelligence and wit. * Willpower measures the character's mental and spiritual resilience. See Also: NEWS STATS, NEWS ABILITIES, NEWS ADVANTAGES, NEWS FLAWS, NEWS AGILITY, NEWS STRENGTH, NEWS TOUGHNESS, NEWS ENDURANCE, NEWS PERCEPTION, NEWS INTELLECT, NEWS WILLPOWER, NEWS PUSH Top ABILITIES Abilities represent specialized combat training, powers, or equipment that grant a character additional major talents besides his/her base stats. For example, a "martial arts" Ability might replace the character's Agility attribute when trying to land a hit, or a "weaponry" Ability might replace the Strength attribute when doing damage. "Enhanced vision" could be used in place of "Perception" when the occasion demands. Other Abilities, such as "flight" or "teleportation" may simply grant additional talents that the basic Attributes do not cover. In quantifying Abilities, first you must decide the best scale to rate the Ability. Some may use a similar scale to those in NEWS ATTRIBUTES, while others may use one of the alternate scales, noted below. As detailed in chargen, each ability will require several other pieces of information: Category (Power, Technology, Artifact, Magic, etc.); Range (If applicable, though for some abilities, such as teleportation, it may be the same as the general rating for the ability); Area of effect (blast radius, number of targets, etc.); Limitations (power limits rather than flaws, also for devices or artifacts a Toughness rating is required); and Description, which briefly gives any other important information about the power. There are several values generally associated with each ability: Stat: Any numerical value from one of the scales in NEWS STATS can fit here. What really matters is that the "Scale" you pick makes sense for an explanation for the ability. In some cases, an ability may not have any inherent rating, and so it can be scored at a "N/A" only. Type: Just identify the type of ability. For an inherent ability ("Super Speed" or "Energy Blast") "Power" tends to work well, while for a piece of equipment you might choose "Gear." For a mystic item, it might be "Artifact," and for a trained ability ("Martial Arts") a "Skill" classification fits. Scale: For some abilities, scale is obvious. Super Speed uses NEWS SPEED, and Telekinesis can use NEWS STRENGTH. Most damage-based powers can be based on NEWS ARSENAL, while a combat skill can use NEWS COMBAT. If you have trouble figuring out what scale to use, feel free to ask staff. In some cases, we may even develop a new scale for you if no appropriate one already exists. If the stat is N/A, the Scale should be N/A as well. Range: Range can be anything within reason. In cases like a teleportation power, it may be the same as the actual ability stat rating. For ranged other powers, such as energy blasts or the like, just noting a distance ("100 yards" or the like) is fine. For powers like melee combat, "Touch- based" may be best. If the power really has no range that makes sense, "N/A" is acceptable. Area: Area of effect can be defined as simply as "Self" for powers like "Flight," while for something akin to "Martial Arts" as a skill might use "Hand-to-hand." For other powers, a radius in feet is a reasonable answer, or if the power affects specific targets instead of an area, specify the number (or range) of targets normally possible. Limits: Ability limits are caveats ability caveats but not specifically character flaws. For example, "X-Ray Vision" might have the limitation "Cannot see through lead." Telepathy might have the limitation "Does not work on robots" or similar. A "Batarang" might have the Limits that it can be disarmed and that it can break (if gear is breakable, please include a Toughness rating; if it is unbreakable, please explain why in the "Desc" field). Desc: Whatever is not covered by these other fields should be explained in the general description. This can explain the general nature of the power, but most importantly it should note any elements of the power that are unusual or specific to the character. This might include power stunts or other details. For example, a "Utility Belt" piece of gear might have a list of specific gadgets that it holds. See Also: NEWS COMBAT, NEWS ARSENAL, NEWS SPEED, NEWS HEALING, NEWS HEAT, NEWS ELECTRICITY, NEWS SOUND, NEWS DISTANCE, NEWS ENDURANCE, NEWS PROFESSION Top ADVANTAGES Advantages come in two varieties. The first sort simply covers resources the character my draw upon in role-play but that do not affect stats or combat. These might include such items as contacts, wealth, status, etc. These are useful things to have, but they do not affect the character's attributes or abilities in any direct way. The second type of Advantage is similar to what would be called "skills" in many RPG systems. Instead of using skills, actions are all taken via use of Attributes or Abilities. However, Advantages can also represent specialized training in a certain "skill," augmenting an Attribute in a particular, limited way in certain situations. These should only be used to represent specific areas of expertise, not everyday skills. Common examples of the second type of Advantage are an "investigation" Advantage that represents the character's expertise as a detective and augments Perception when applicable or having a "medicine" Advantage that augments Intellect when treating injuries. For the text of any Advantage, simply write a brief text description of what it is and how it works, whether it represents expertise or some other resource that does not affect any Attribute directly. See Also: NEWS ATTRIBUTES, NEWS STATS Top FLAWS Flaws can be any type of drawbacks or weaknesses that are specific to the character and significantly impact his/her effectiveness. Each flaw should explain exactly what its impact is. For example, if your character has a high Toughness rating and a "vulnerability" flaw, then the flaw should specify what the character's Toughness is against the energy/substance/force that she/he is weak against. (For instance, a Kryptonian's Toughness against Kryptonite might be 1 or even 0.) If the weakness reduces an Ability, to what rating is it reduced? Detail any effect as clearly and concisely as you can. Notably, these should not be simply power limitations, which should be outlined in each relevant Ability, and they should not be "fluff" or "flavor" drawbacks that are mere quirks, inconveniences, or incidental personality traits. They should be major character flaws, weaknesses, or external drawbacks, such as an arch nemesis who's out to kill you. See Also: NEWS ADVANTAGES, NEWS STATS Top AGILITY Agility measures a character's reflexes, dexterity, and general ability to move and react to the world around them. Typical uses include acrobatics, running, dodging, gymnastics, dancing, sleight-of-hand, and sneaking. It is common for Advantages to be used to enhance areas of expertise, such as one of the above uses: running, dodging, etc. Agility - Point ratings for reflexes and dexterity * 0 : Snail; effectively immobile * 1 : Sluggish; below average reflexes and agility * 2 : Average; healthy human levels of dexterity and reaction * 3 : Athletic; reflexes of an Olympic athlete * 4 : Peak human; dodge or catch arrows with great effort * 5 : Accelerated; dodge bullets with moderate effort * 6 : Extranormal; dodge energy blasts, catch arrows or bullets * 7 : Transnormal; movements seem to defy humanoid structure * 8 : Hypernormal; bullets appear to move in slow motion * 9 : Supernormal; energy blasts appear to move in slow motion * 10 : Speed of Thought; thought and action take place simultaneously Top STRENGTH Strength is a measure of how much weight the character can lift and carry at maximum "normal" exertion. It also determines general damage capacity for basic physical attacks. It is not usually enhanced by Advantages, but when the drama of story calls for it, strength can be "pushed" for greater effect. Strength - Point ratings for carrying or force output * 0 : 50 pounds; weak human strength * 1 : 100 pounds; average human strength * 2 : 500 pounds; exceptional human strength * 3 : 1,000 pounds; maximum "normal" human strength * 4 : 5,000 pounds / 2.5 tons; bend steel; lift and carry an automobile * 5 : 10,000 pounds / 5 tons; shatter stone; lift and carry an elephant * 6 : 50,000 pounds / 25 tons; rupture steel; carry an orca whale * 7 : 100,000 pounds / 50 tons; crush titanium; lift a fully loaded semi * 8 : 500,000 pounds / 250 tons; bend an adamantium bar; carry a blue whale * 9 : 1,000,000 pounds / 500 tons; lift and carry the Int'l. Space Station * 10 : 5,000,000 pounds / 1,000 tons; break mountains; carry a giant sequoia See Also: NEWS PUSH Top TOUGHNESS Toughness allows a character to resist physical damage as rated on the other scales. Characters can usually resist physical attacks below their Toughness scores without great difficulty. Physical attack scales include Strength, Arsenal, Heat, Light, Sound, etc. Attacks higher than one's Toughness may also be resisted, but it will be more difficult and taxing for the character. Toughness - Point ratings for durability and resilience * 0 : Fragile; an easily breakable object that offers no resistance * 1 : Weakling; minimal physical resilience * 2 : Average; toughness equivalent to a normal, healthy human * 3 : Peak human; maximum physical resilience for a "normal" human * 4 : Brick; resist small arms fire or "street" weapons * 5 : Steel; resist assault grade military weapons * 6 : Titanium; resist anti-tank or heavy military weapons * 7 : Diamond; resist most "advanced tech" weapons * 8 : Nth Metal; resist most conventional weapons * 9 : Promethium/Vibranium; resist a low-yield nuclear bomb blast * 10 : Adamantium; resist a high-yield nuclear bomb blast See Also: NEWS STRENGTH, NEWS ARSENAL, NEWS HEAT, NEWS LIGHT, NEWS SOUND Top ENDURANCE Endurance is a measure of how long a character can operate at peak levels of activity, such as being in constant motion akin to running or climbing, without needing to take some rest. This does not govern how long one can remain awake -- some characters do not sleep. Instead, it is a measure of sustained energy output over time. Endurance - Point ratings for maintaining peak levels of energy output * 0 : Tires normally for a person of their health * 1 : Operate at peak energy output for 12 hours (0.5 days) without rest * 2 : Operate at peak energy output for 24 hours (1 day) without rest * 3 : Operate at peak energy output for 36 hours (1.5 days) without rest * 4 : Operate at peak energy output for 48 hours (2 days) without rest * 5 : Operate at peak energy output for 60 hours (2.5 days) without rest * 6 : Operate at peak energy output for 72 hours (3 days) without rest * 7 : Operate at peak energy output for 84 hours (3.5 days) without rest * 8 : Operate at peak energy output for 96 hours (4 days) without rest * 9 : Operate at peak energy output for 108 hours (4.5 days) without rest * 10 : Operate at peak energy output for 120 hours (5 days) without rest See Also: NEWS STRENGTH, NEWS TOUGHNESS Top PERCEPTION Perception measures a character's ability to notice details in the world around him/her. Some abilities, such as "super-senses," may stand in for this attribute, and certain advantages, such as "investigation," may enhance the character's perception in certain situations, when applicable. Perception - Point ratings for awareness and observation * 0 : Inert; lacking the ability to sense surroundings * 1 : Oblivious; weak senses or poor awareness * 2 : Conscious; perception akin to an average person * 3 : Alert; heightened awareness or sharp senses * 4 : Wary; moderate focus on either general or specific sensory details * 5 : Watchful; keen focus on either general or specific sensory details * 6 : Observant; very few sensory details are missed * 7 : Insightful; awareness presses the boundaries of human ability * 8 : Perspicacious; super-normal awareness and perception * 9 : Prescient; awareness seems nearly precognitive * 10 : Omniscient; seemingly godlike awareness of surroundings Top INTELLECT Intellect measures a character's raw intelligence and cleverness. It is used mainly for feats of reasoning or skilled application of knowledge, such as using a computer, repairing a device, or advanced medical techniques. Many advantages enhance Intellect, such as "medicine" or "engineering." Intellect - Point ratings for intelligence and wit * 0 : IQ < 90; below average human intellect * 1 : IQ 91-110; average human intellect * 2 : IQ 111-130; above average human intellect * 3 : IQ 131-150; "gifted" level human intellect * 4 : IQ 151-170; "genius" level human intellect * 5 : IQ 171-190; "super-genius" level human intellect * 6 : IQ 191-210; borderline superhuman intellect * 7 : IQ 211-230; superhuman intellect; easily grasp alien concepts * 8 : IQ 231-250; intellect capable of visualizing "the impossible" * 9 : IQ 251-270; intellect comprehends on an intergalactic scale * 10 : IQ > 271; intellect beyond the dimensions of "normal" reality Top WILLPOWER Willpower allows a character to resist external mental influences and attacks against their mental or spiritual being. It does not allow one to counter physical attacks from a psychic or mystic sources. So, a "mind blast" or a "spirit drain" attack could be resisted with the will, but a "telekinetic blast" or "eldritch bolt" would be compared against Toughness instead. Willpower - Point ratings for force of will or spirit * 0 : Weak; effectively lacking free will * 1 : Mundane; weak-willed or spiritually fragile individual * 2 : Focused; average willpower or spiritual strength * 3 : Disciplined; individual reflects self-control or faith * 4 : Resolute; empowered as though by a strong sense of purpose * 5 : Valiant; great courage lends the individual strength * 6 : Unyielding; individual may falter but "never" gives up * 7 : Unfaltering; unshakable in the face of any "normal" human experience * 8 : Superhuman; individual resists even direct psychic or mystic assault * 9 : Transcendent; resists sustained, potent psychic or mystic assault * 10 : Supreme; individual's will and spirit are virtually unassailable Top COMBAT The combat scale is used to define abilities based on martial prowess. This might include anything from hand-to-hand combat to fencing or marksmanship, though these examples focus on martial arts. Note that damage is generally determined by Strength or another Ability rather than by the "combat skill" ability. Combat - Point ratings for combat training level * 0 : Unskilled * 1 : Beginner; you take yoga classes. * 2 : Novice; you have had self-defense training. * 3 : Amateur; you have been in your share of street brawls. * 4 : Skilled Amateur; you have black belt level combat training. * 5 : Professional; you could compete in MMA or ultimate fighting contests. * 6 : Experienced Pro; your martial skills see frequent use in actual combat. * 7 : Expert; you could claim the title of world Champion in pro fighting. * 8 : Advanced Expert; you have ability on the level of a great sensei. * 9 : Master; you have ability on the level of an ancient master. * 10 : Legendary; you have the ability of a mortal trained to fight gods. See Also: NEWS ARSENAL, NEWS STRENGTH Top ARSENAL Abilities that effectively deal damage, such as weapons or energy blasts, can be rated off this general scale of weaponry and damage capacity. Arsenal - Point ratings for weaponry level * 0 : Bare knuckles (for a normal human) * 1 : Knives or small caliber firearms (Common handguns) * 2 : Swords or heavier caliber firearms (Shotguns) * 3 : Heavy melee weapons or assault weapons (Machine guns, heavy rifles) * 4 : Anti-tank grade weapons (Bazookas, explosives) * 5 : Heavy military weapons (Rockets, conventional laser weapons) * 6 : Advanced tech weapons (Demolition bombs, plasma weapons) * 7 : Heavy mounted weapons (Sub-nuclear tactical ICBMs) * 8 : Large area decimation weapons (MIRV) * 9 : Small payload nuclear device * 10 : Contemporary multi-kiloton nuclear warhead Top SPEED Abilities that enhance velocity or how quickly actions may be taken are rated off of the Speed scale. The classic example of this, of course, is the "super speed" ability. Building up speed for an attack generally borrows its strength from the "Arsenal" scale. Speed - Point ratings for super speed and movement * 0 : 10 MPH - Act at normal speed. * 1 : 50 MPH - Act at 2x normal speed. * 2 : 100 MPH - Act at 5x normal speed. * 3 : 500 MPH - Act at 10x normal speed. (Subsonic speeds) * 4 : 1,000 MPH - Act at 20x normal speed. * 5 : 5,000 MPH - Act at 50x normal speed. (Transonic speeds) * 6 : 10,000 MPH - Act at 75x normal speed. * 7 : 50,000 MPH - Act at 125x normal speed. (Hypersonic speeds) * 8 : 100,000 MPH - Act at 250x normal speed. * 9 : 500,000 MPH - Act at 500x normal speed. * 10 : 1,000,000 MPH - Act at 1,000x normal speed. See Also: NEWS ARSENAL Top HEALING Healing, whether personal regeneration or restoring the health of others, is rated off of this scale. The Ability write-up must define to what degree injuries may be healed, such as whether regeneration of limbs or other "healing stunts" may be possible. Healing - Point ratings for recovery * 0 : Heal at normal speed. * 1 : Heal at 2x normal speed. * 2 : Heal at 5x normal speed. * 3 : Heal at 10x normal speed. * 4 : Heal at 20x normal speed. * 5 : Heal at 50x normal speed. (Condition +1 per 5 rounds.) * 6 : Heal at 75x normal speed. (Condition +1 per 4 rounds.) * 7 : Heal at 125x normal speed. (Condition +1 per 3 rounds.) * 8 : Heal at 250x normal speed. (Condition +1 per 2 rounds.) * 9 : Heal at 500x normal speed. (Condition +1 per round.) * 10 : Heal at 1,000x normal speed. (Condition +2 per round.) Top HEAT Abilities that generate or manipulate heat energy can be measured off of this scale. (This includes cold powers, which reduce heat energy.) For dealing direct damage, such as lightning, please refer to NEWS ARSENAL. Heat - Point ratings for temperature (in degrees Celsius) * 0 : 5 ?C * 1 : 20 ?C (Room temperature) * 2 : 50 ?C (Maximum tolerable heat for human beings) * 3 : 100 ?C (Boiling point of water) * 4 : 1,500 ?C (Melting point of Steel) * 5 : 5,000 ?C (Core of the Earth) * 6 : 10,000 ?C * 7 : 50,000 ?C * 8 : 100,000 ?C * 9 : 500,000 ?C * 10 : 1,000,000 ?C (Corona of the Sun) See Also: NEWS ARSENAL Top LIGHT Coming Soon! Top ELECTRICITY Abilities that generate or manipulate electricity can be measured off of this scale. For dealing direct damage, such as lightning, please refer to the scale in NEWS ARSENAL. Electricity - Point ratings for electricity generation (in watts) * 0 : 100 watts (Light bulb) * 1 : 500 watts (Taser) * 2 : 1,000 watts (Generator) * 3 : 100 kilowatts * 4 : 500 kilowatts * 5 : 1 megawatts * 6 : 500 megawatts (Weak lightning) * 7 : 5 gigawatts (Strong lightning) * 8 : 15 gigawatts (Power a city for a few seconds) * 9 : 50 gigawatts * 10 : 100 gigawatts (Electric discharge of a nuclear weapon) See Also: NEWS ARSENAL Top SOUND Abilities that manipulate sound can be measured off this general scale. For dealing direct damage, please refer to NEWS ARSENAL. Sound - Point ratings for sound generation or manipulation (in decibels) * 0 : 0 db - Human auditory threshold. * 1 : 20 db - Quiet appliance. * 2 : 40 db - Quiet conversation. * 3 : 60 db - Normal conversation. * 4 : 80 db - Loud conversation. * 5 : 100 db - Helicopter, chainsaw. * 6 : 120 db - Trumpet, jackhammer; threshold of pain. * 7 : 140 db - Machine gun, concert speakers. * 8 : 160 db - Siren, turbojet engine. * 9 : 180 db - Rocket engine. * 10 : 200 db - Theoretical limit for sound in an atmosphere. See Also: NEWS ARSENAL Top DISTANCE While distance is usually a meausure of range (which is generally handled in description rather than given a stat value), this table may still be useful to some characters. Distance - Point ratings for range (in miles) * 0 : 0.25 mile (Immediate vicinity) * 1 : 0.5 mile (Line of sight) * 2 : 1 mile (10 city blocks) * 3 : 5 miles * 4 : 10 miles (Rough length of Manhattan island) * 5 : 50 miles (Rough distance from Metropolis to Gotham City) * 6 : 100 miles (Half the distance from Gotham City to NYC) * 7 : 500 miles * 8 : 1,000 miles (Rough distance from north Florida to south Maine) * 9 : 5,000 miles * 10 : 10,000 miles (Rough diameter of the Earth) See Also: NEWS ARSENAL Top PUSH A "Push" effect is when a character manages to accomplish something that goes far beyond the normal limits of his or her abilities. This is like those stories one hears in real life of mothers lifting up cars to save their trapped children or the like. For a moment, normal limitations go right out the window, and something just plain EPIC happens. On our game, this is known as a push effect. When you "push" an ability, it suddenly becomes up to ten times stronger than normal, just for one single effect or key action. This might be a feat of supreme strength, an energy blast beyond the ken of normal power limitations, or a feat of telepathy that affects an entire reagion of the planet -- naturally, use your imagination as to how this could work. If you are using the consent-based RP system, just narrate the effect as you like but then treat your character as being visibly drained afterward, probably to about one half of his or her normal level for the Ability or Attribute that was used in the push effect. They can recover "off-panel" between scenes (overnight, for example) at your convenience. If you are using the dice system, you may expend 1-5 Karma points on a push effect. For each point spent, you may add one to your normal number of dice for that effect. Afterward, role-play the character as fatigued, but feel free to "shake it off" fairly quickly since you already paid your dues in Karma points. (For more on that, check out 'NEWS KARMA'.) See Also: NEWS STATS, NEWS SYSTEM, NEWS CONSENT, NEWS KARMA Top SYSTEM Top 'NEWS POLICY/GAME MECHANICS' ACTIVITY Top BUILDING Top CONSENT Top DISCLAIMER Top RULES Top WIKI Top THEME Top Category:Information